To determine the correct noble gas to use for the phosphorus configuration, we first need to know the atomic number of phosphorus, which is 15. Noble gases have completely filled electron shells, providing a stable electron configuration that can be referenced.
Out of the options provided:
- Ne (Neon) has an atomic number of 10, meaning it has 10 electrons.
- He (Helium) has an atomic number of 2, indicating it only has 2 electrons.
- Ar (Argon) has an atomic number of 18, with 18 electrons.
- Xe (Xenon) has an atomic number of 54, indicating it has 54 electrons.
- Kr (Krypton) has an atomic number of 36, meaning it has 36 electrons.
Since phosphorus (atomic number 15) has more electrons than neon but fewer than argon, the correct noble gas to use in the configuration is Neon (Ne).
Thus, the electron configuration for phosphorus can be written as: [Ne] 3s² 3p³.